Collaborative Research (continued)
Skidmore students and their professors have worked together
on numerous research projects. This kind of high-level scholarship
does more than enhances a student's understanding in a given
disipline; the practical, hands-on experience and "real-world"
accomplishment also instill a sense of confidence that will
benefit a graduate in any career. Projects from recent years
appear below, arranged by academic area.

Project: The role of Capsule
Production in the Symbiotic Colonization of Squid by Vibrio
fischeriParticipants: Visiting Assistant Professor Pat M. Fidopiastis
and Choai H. Wong '04Plan: The associate between the luminous bacterium Vibrio
fischeri and the squid Euprymna scolopes is a model
for understanding how beneficial bacteria interact with their
host. In this associate, V. fischeri colonizes the squid
and is provided nutrients in exchange for light, which the squid
uses for its nocturnal activities. The associate is highly specific,
and only cells of V. fischeri are able to colonize the
squid. As a defense against colonization, the squid possesses
macrophage-like cells, similar to those seen in the mammalian
immune system, that appear to destroy invading bacteria. However,
V. fischeri cells are still able to colonize. Recently,
we discovered that V. fischeri produces a capsule that
may allow it to avoid destruction by the squid macrophages and
colonize the squid.

Project: Spectral Properties of Circadian Clock Responses
to Light StimuliParticipants: Professor Bernard Possidente and Bond Caldaro
'04Plan: Daily rhythms in biological functions (e.g. sleep-wake
cycle) are generated and regulated by an internal biological
clock. Mammals, including humans, have evolved a central "circadian"
(daily) clock in the hypothalamus of the brain just above the
point where the optic nerves from both eyes meet. Circadian
rhythms generated in the brain need only be synchronized by
the external photoperiod. This is accomplished through retinal
photoreceptors and central projections that are anatomically
and functionally distinct from the visual system.

Project: Establishment of a
Protoplast Cycle in the Unicellular Green Alga, Closterium
acerosumParticipants: Professor David Domozych and Rachel A.
Roberts '04Plan: This project will define the protocols for obtaining
protoplasts from the unicellular green alga Closterium acerosum.
This organism is an important tool in plant cell research because
of its large size and distinctive endomembrane and cytoskeletal
systems. Likewise, it lends itself well to experimental manipulation
and preparations for advanced light and electron microscopy.
In this project, we will determine the precise conditions for
inducing and subsequently culturing protoplasts. This will include
defining enzymatic conditions, osmoticum levels and physical
techniques that will optimize protoplast production. Similarly,
we will attempt to complete the protoplast cycle by inducing
morphogenesis back to the walled state. During this study, we
will also monitor the effects of protoplast induction on secretion,
the endomembrane system and cytoskeletal system. This study
will entail use of cryofixation techniques, transmission electron
microscopy and fluorescence light microscopy. This project will
lay the groundwork for future studies in microinjection of specific
tracing agents and molecular probes in understanding basic plant
cell development.

Project: Female Mating Fidelity and the Avoidance of
Inbreeding in a Dimorphic Warbler, the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis
trichas)Participants: Assistant Professor Corey R. Freeman-Gallant and
Elizabeth M. Johnson '02Plan: The Common Yellowthroat (Geothylpis trichas),
a socially monogamous species abundant across much of North
America, will be studied to assess the degree of female mating
fidelity using molecular DNA techniques and to determine whether
females copulate at random with respect to their similarity
to potential sires. The importance of male plumage and health
to female mating patterns will also be assessed.

Project: Rat Model for Androgenic Anabolic Steroid AbuseParticipants: Professor Bernie Possidente, Susan Kur
'02 and Felicia Gomez '02Plan: The focus of this project will be to study the
effects of high, prolonged doses of steroid hormones, especially
regarding potential effects on behavior and brain function.
A rat animal model will be used to investigate effects of high
doses of several commonly abused steroids on the level and circadian
(daily) timing of wheel-running activity, as circadian rhythms,
particularly sleep, are typically disrupted in psychiatric disorders
similar to those associated with steroid abuse.

Project: Modification and Processing of Vitellogenin
in Zebrafish EggsParticipants: Professor Elaine Rubenstein and R. Carlin
Walsh '01Plan: Yolk proteins are synthesized outside of the ovary,
transported through the blood, and then taken up by developing
eggs within the ovary. These yolk proteins provide critical
nutrients and building blocks to nourish and support embryonic
development. In the zebrafish Danio rerio, our preliminary
studies suggest that the principal yolk protein, vitellogenin,
is biochemically modified and processed after the egg takes
it up, but before the egg is fertilized. We intend to characterize
the step-by-step changes in size and polypeptide composition
that occur in the egg before ovulation which prepare vitellogenin
to serve its embryonic functions.

Project: Localization and Function of the Cytomotile
Proteins, Profilin and Myosin, in Cytoplasmic Streaming in PlantsParticipants: Professor David Domozych and Brian Stevens,
'00Plan: The cascade of events created in cytomotility in
plant cells requires numerous proteins. These proteins act precisely
in regulating particular events associated in moving cytoplasmic
elements across cytomotile cables in the cell, i.e., cytoplasmic
streaming. Streaming is a necessary event in mixing nutrients
in plant cells and, more importantly, directing particular compartments
to specific destinations in the cell. In this project, we will
attempt to locate and analyze the role of two cytomotile proteins,
myosin and profilin, in the cytoplasmic streaming process in
the green plant Closterium. These two proteins have been
well characterized in animals, but little if anything is known
about them in plants. In this project, we will mass-culture
protoplasts of Closterium to create a better biochemical
system for protein isolation. Second, we will isolate particular
secretory elements such as Golgi elements and secretory vesicles
using density gradient centrifugation. These are the elements
that are moving in the cytoplasmic streaming network in Closterium.
Next, we will extract myosin and profilin from the protoplasts
and ultimately determine their location using immunoflourescence
(light microscopy) and immunogold (electron microscopy) protocols.
This project should provide significant fundamental information
about how secretory elements move through the cell to reach
sites on the cell membrane.

Project: A Search for Zymomonas mobilis in Apple
Orchards in Saratoga CountyParticipants: Professor Chris Eddy and Keri L. Berka
'00Plan:Zymomonas mobilis is a Gram negative bacterium
capable of producing ethanol from glucose more efficiently than
yeast. Research on Z. mobilis has focused on finding
or developing new strains that are better suited for industrial
fermentation processes. The goal of this project is to determine
if Z. mobilis can be isolated from apple orchards in
Saratoga County, New York. Z. mobilis has been isolated
from spoiled cider in Europe, and fermenting palm sap in tropical
countries. We are developing methods to select for preferential
growth of Z. mobilis and prevent growth of other bacteria
and fungi that are present in cider, apples, and composted waste
from nearby apple orchards. We will test our methods by adding
known numbers of cells to each potential source and determining
the minimum number of cells required to be isolated. Any new
Z. mobilis strains isolated from samples not inoculated
with the laboratory strain will be characterized and compared
to strains used for ethanol production.

Project: Ecology, Management and Restoration of Native
Plant Communities on Glacial Lake Albany Sand Deposit Outwash:
Maintaining and Enhancing the Habitat of the Federally Endangered
Karner Blue Butterfly, Lycaeides melissa samuelisParticipants: Associate Professor Monica Raveret Richter and Ava
Tanny, '01Plan: The Karner blue butterfly inhabits disturbed openings
containing wild blue lupine, the sole host plant for its larvae
(Dirig 1994), and nectar plants. Lupine is an early successional
component of glacial Lake Albany sand outwash communities. Development,
habitat fragmentation and fire suppression have led to the decline
of lupine, butterflies, and other components of this community.
Essential to halting this decline is characterization and maintenance
of healthy patches of suitable butterfly habitat. We will investigate
and characterize the relationship between the status of Karner
blue food and nectar plant populations and aspects of the surrounding
biotic and abiotic community. This information, combined with
landscape analysis of aerial photos, can be used to promote
successful maintenance and regeneration of Karner blue butterfly
habitat in the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park.

Project: Genetic Population Structure in Savannah Sparrows
(Passerculus sandwichensis) at Small Geographic ScalesParticipants: Assistant Professor Corey R. Freeman-Gallant, David
Vogel '99, and Kate Thomas '99Plan: It is the goal of the collaborative project to
allow Skidmore students to bridge the gap between subdisciplines
and consider how molecular DNA techniques can be used to investigate
long-standing issues in evolutionary biology. The team will
propose to assay variation at neutral genetic loci to quantify
the proportion of individuals exchanged between pairs of Savannah
sparrow populations. Recent advances in molecular DNA technology
combined with population genetic theory will enable the participants
to link genetic differentiation to the magnitude and pattern
of dispersal among sparrow populations.

Project: Is there a Circadian Rhythm for Fertility in
Fruit Flies?Participants: Professor Bernard Possidente and Mackenzie
Evangelist '98Plan: Circadian (daily) rhythms are generated by an internal
biological clock mechanism. Fruit flies have been the leading
model organism for investigating the genetic and molecular basis
of biological clock function. The researchers are extending
the fruit fly model to investigate the circadian regulation
of complex behavior by characterizing a daily rhythm for mating
and courtship behavior. Prior research has already established
circadian clock regulation of mating behavior with a peak mating
time that corresponds to six hours after sunrise. The proposed
research is designed to determine whether the number of offspring
produced depends on the time of day that mating occurs.